The present invention relates generally to devices for discharging a stream of water or other fluid in a pattern.
There are many different devices which create streams of water or other fluids such as, by way of non-limiting examples, toy water guns, garden hose nozzles, lawn sprinklers, water fountain displays, food dispensing containers, cleaning product dispensing containers, and paint dispensing containers. The use of a continuous straight stream, while adequate in most cases, may fail to provide adequate coverage of a target area or may simply be too plain.
United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0173559 discloses a water gun with a variable spray pattern. According to this application, a manual pump is actuated to provide both the pressure to emit a stream of water through a nozzle and to rotate the nozzle about an axis of rotation. The nozzle is offset from the axis of rotation so that actuation of the manual pump creates a patterned stream. Furthermore, this application discloses a bezel-type adjustment for adjusting a radial position of the nozzle relative to the axis of rotation. A problem associated with this device is that the rotation of the nozzles for creating the variable spray is directly linked to the movement of the manual pump, making it difficult for a user to operate the pump.
Squeeze bottles for storing and dispensing viscous, flowable materials such as food products like syrups, jellies, and condiments, liquid paints used to produce “spin art”, and other liquid and/or granular materials such as detergents, cleansers and the like are well known. Generally, such bottles include a container made of a plastic or other easily deformable material and define an interior cavity for receiving and storing the product. The container may further define a neck portion disposed at one end of the container that is attached to a dispensing closure assembly. A typical dispensing closure assembly includes a cap that is threadably connected to the neck of the container at one end, and has a single outlet tip that faces outwardly from the container at the other end. During use, the container is inverted and squeezed to dispense the viscous product from the tip orifice onto a target surface as a directed stream.
Conventional dispensing closures define an orifice having a circular cross section sized to provide the user with flexibility to apply a desired amount of product to the target surface. A softer squeezing of the container will yield a lower mass flow rate out of the tip. Accordingly, in order to accommodate those who wish to apply only a small amount of material to the target surface, the tips are generally designed with a small cross section. Those who desire an additional amount of material can squeeze harder. In the context of a child's spin art toy environment, the target surface consists of a sheet of paper or other material temporarily secured to a turntable adapted to rotate at a controlled rate. As the sheet rotates, the child squeezes the container and the expelled material moves outwardly through the exertion of centrifugal forces. Although the spin art amusement device continues to enjoy a degree of popularity after several decades, its reliance upon a powered rotary mechanism comes at a considerable cost and complexity.
A need therefore exists for a discharge assistant usable in combination with a conventional container that enables one to apply a sufficient and consistent amount of a flowable material, such as a spin art paint solution, to a target surface.
A further need exists for a spin art amusement system that avoids the cost and complexity of prior art systems.
Water nozzles are used in water fountain displays to produce a stream of water. Such fountains have been in use for centuries and incorporated into landscape designs for parks and residences. A need exists for a different stream so that the water fountains are more entertaining.